Electromagnetic ignition apparatus for fuel gas



Jan. 2, 1951 s. A. RUSSEILL mac-momma IGNITION APPARATUS FOR FUEL GAS Filed Dec. 10, 1947 r M W 3 I t a MW A, L W W a w M L a a e v a I 4 & F a TM I N O Q O\ %7 3 O Irl Patented Jan. 2, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTROMAGNETIC IGNITION APPARATUS FOR FUEL GAS Stanley Alexander Russell, Baldwin, N. Y.

Application December 10, 1947, Serial No. 790,734

7 Claims. (Cl. 175-117) This invention relates to ignition devices more particularly to lighters for gas ranges, hot water heaters, gas refrigerators and all other domestic gas heating appliances.

It is an object of my invention to produce an ignition device by the use of permanent magnets in combination with a coil having primary and secondary windings whereby an induction current of electricity having the qualities of high electromotive force in further combination with a synchronized make and break means to facilitate the reversal of the magnetic flux and the induced electric current produced thereby. The spark produced is independent of any external source of electrical supply.

It is an object of my invention to provide selfcontained ignition device capable of producing its own electricity and a spark or an electric arc of ample sufllcient intensity and duration to ignite every variety of fuel or illuminating gas.

It is also an object of my invention to provide a self-contained ignition device having movable permanent magnets in combination with an induction coil and mechanism for reversing the flow of magnetic flux and the induced electric current produced.

It is also an object of my invention to produce an electrical self-contained ignition device and thereby eliminate, in gas ranges and similar devices, the use of ignition tubes and pilot lights. By the elimination of pilot lights my invention saves gas as well as-prevents the escape of gas through an umighted pilot. The escape of gas through an unlighted pilot may result in disastrous explosions or even asphyxiation. My invention. promotes economy and is endowed with all of the qualities of a safety appliance.

Other objects and advantages will be revealed in the detailed description of the drawings which constitute a part of this application.

In the drawings:

' Fig. 1 is a plan view of my complete ignition device.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of my device as seen from the right of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of my device taken substantially on the line 111-111 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 4 is a schematic view of the electrical conductor system used in my ignition device.

The drawings are merely illustrative of the preferred embodiment of my invention and are not definitive thereof except as set forth in the claimed subject matter.

The reference characters identify the details 2 disclosed in both the wnten description and the drawings.

In my device the frame F preferably comprises laminated spaced pole shoes 5 and 6 constituting magnetic conductors. A major portion of these shoes 5 and B are spanned by the plates 9 and H) and are secured thereto by bolts II which maintain these parts in assembed spaced parallel relation. The portions of the shoes 5 and 6 projecting beyond the plates 9 and in are designated legs of the frame F. These legs are bifurcated within the contour of the planes defining the frame F and receive an iron core 2 which is secured in the bifurcated legs by bolts 1. The core 2 is provided with a primary winding 3 and a secondary winding 4. These windings are wound and insulated in the customary manner.

The energizing unit or member 12 is movably mounted within the frame F and is preferably pivoted in bearings of the plates 9 and 10 by the shaft 8 whereby the unit l2 may be oscillated to reverse the flow of magnetic flux. The unit l2 comprises magnetic shoes l3 and I4 with permanent magnets l5 and I6 located in a parallel and generally longitudinal direction relative to the shoes l3 and I4 and symmetrically between the shoes 13 and M. The magnets and their shoes are spanned by fiat spaced connecting pieces I! and I8 which are secured to the shoes 13 and 14 by rivets l9 thereby maintainng the parts of the unit [2 in assembled relation. The pieces l1 and I8 are of nonmagnetic material and are provided with spaced apertured extensions to receive a mechanical actuating means preferably in the form of a rod 32 having a T-end pivotally mounted between the'apertured extensions.

The shoes l3 and I4 are so tapered that they define two pairs of flat contact faces. Each pair of contact faces constitutes diagonally opposed corner portions of the unit l2. When the unit l2 reaches the limit of its movement in a small arc of oscillation each face of a diagonally arranged pair engages flatly against parallel contact faces of the shoes 5 and 6.

The make and break contact lever 22 is pivoted on a pin 23 which is supported on the plate 9. A spring 24 is secured at one of its ends to the central portion of lever 22. The opposite end of the spring 24 bears against the stud fixed on plate 9. The spring 24 is biased to urge the lever 22 and its contact into electrical contact with the contact 25. .The contact 25 is mounted on but insulated from the plate 9. Another lever 26 is pivotally mounted on a pin 21 fixedly attached or secured to plate 3. The lever 23 is operated by an upright pin or stud 28 which is secured on the oscillatable member or unit l2; consequently as the member is operated the lever 26 oscillates and in so doing the projecting cam tip 29 engages the cam tip 30 of lever 22 thereby forcing it and its contact away from the contact 25. The lever 26 is provided with a lostmotion connection having adjustable screws 3| whereby the making and breaking of the electrical contacts may be adjustably synchronized to break the contacts when the induced current is in its maximum intensity or highest potential and thereby produce a spark or are of amply sufficient heat duration and intensity at the electrodes defining the gap 34 to ignite the fuelgas ambient about the electrodes.

It will be noted that the electrical contacts are broken by each full swing of the lever 28 and to reduce the arcing between the contacts a condenser 33 is introduced into the electrical circuit and is connected directly to the insulated contact 25. The condenser 33 is detachably 'supported by a clamping bar and bolts on the plate 3 and is grounded thereon. The spark gap 34 is shown on the drawings diagrammatically only but it is contemplated that the grounded wire 35 and insulated high tension wire 36 may be extended any suitable desired distance and arranged to provide suitably spaced electrodes supported on portable means comprising an insulated handle or they may be supported in suitable proximity to a gas burner to ignite the gas upon its initial escape from the burner.

With respect to the relative position of the parts as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the apparatus or device is operated mechanically or manually by a force applied to the rod 32 in such a direction as to move the oscillating member or unit l2 over to the dotted line position 2| of Fig. 3, and in so doing the magnetic circuit as shown by the arrow lines 20, will be broken and re-established in the opposite direction through the induction coil I. At the proper instant during this period of flux reversal, the lever 22 is timed to open the electrical circuit. The reversal and interruption of the flux flow through the core 2 induces an electrical current flowing from the primary winding 3 through contact 25 to lever 22 and back to the primary winding. A complementary high tension electromotive force (E. M. F.) is induced in the secondary winding 4 as a result of the primary action. This electromotive force bein of amply sufllcient intensity and duration to produce an are or spark at the electrode gap 34 to ignite fuel gas ambient about said gap.

It can now be readily understood that my device or apparatus comprises a plurality of associated units.

The frame unit F defines a body having spaced parallel members or shoes 5 and 6 receiving between them an oscillating unit l2.

The oscillating unit l2 comprises permanent magnets l5 and I6 firmly secured or fixed symmetrically between the shoes i3 and H which are preferably made of laminations of magnetic material. The magnets I 5 and I6 occupy the central zone of the unit l2 while the shoes l3 and i4 occupy the end zones of said unit.

The electromagnetic unit comprises the core 2 having the primary and secondary windings 3 and I respectively which constitute the coil I. The electric circuit comprises the conducting wires, the condenser 33, the electrical contacts at 25, the

4 make and break mechanism comprising the levers g2 and 28 with their associated parts and porone.

The mechanical actuating means or unit comprises collectively the rod 32 with its pivotal connection to the oscillatable unit plus the synchronizing adjustment means which is adapted to be alternately engaged by the oscillated pin or stud 28 as it is actuated by the rod 32.

Having fully shown and described my invention what I claim is:

1. In an ignition device for igniting fuel gas, said device having parallel spaced side frame portions of laminated magnetic material, said frame portions having opposed legs thereon at one end thereof. said frame portions being connected by nonmagnetic flat sheet material and said leg portions being connected by a core of magnetic material in combination with magnetic means having permanent magnets therein, said magnetic means being pivotally mounted between the frame portions and being provided with actuating means, co-operating means on said frame portions and magnetic means to limit the movement of said magnetic means to a small arc, in still further combination with a combined condenser and make and break mechanism located solely on one side of said device, one of the elements of said mechanism being stationary and electrically insulated from its support, primary and secondary windings about said core and in close proximity to one end of said magnetic means, both of said windings being grounded on one of said legs, an electrode electrically connected to the other leg and an electrode extending from the secondary winding to produce and constitute a second electrode forming a spark gap with the first named electrode, both said condenser and said primary winding being directly and electrically connected to the stationary element, said mechanism being arranged to break the electric circuit when the induced current is at its highest potential and thereby upon one or more oscillations of said unit will produce a spark at the electrodes of ample intensity and duration to ignite fuel gas issuing from a fuel gas burner and ambient about the electrodes.

2. In an electrical ignition device for fuel gas, said device comprising spaced parallel frame portions composed of co-extensive laminations of magnetic material, said frame portions having legs projecting therefrom at one end thereof, the major part of said frame portions being connected by nonmagnetic flat sheet material, said legs being connected by a magnetic core, primary and secondary windings on said core,a pivoted unit of laminated material located between said frame portions and the nonmagnetic sheet material connections thereof, said unit having permanent magnets fixedly located therein, co-operating means on said frame portions and on said pivoted unit to limit the relative movement of said pivoted unit to a small arc, a combined make and break mechanism including a condenser electri cally connected there to and located solely and compactly on the outside thereof, in combination with actuating means for both said unit and said make and break mechanism, said secondary winding being located in close proximity to said primary winding, said primary winding being connected with said make and break mechanism, said secondary winding being connected at one of its terminals to one of said legs of the frame and its opposite terminal constituting one electrode of a spark gap. the other electrode of the spark gap being an electrical conductor connected to the other leg of the frame, whereby one or more oscillations of said pivotal unit by said actuating means will ignite fuel gas issuing from a fuel gas burner and ambient about said electrodes.

3. An electromagnetic ignition device for fuel gas, said device comprising a frame unit, an oscillatable unit within said frame unit and pivotally connected thereto, said frame unit and oscillatable unit having co-operating means thereon to limit the movement to an amplitude of substantially between two and four degrees, an electromagnetic circuit comprising electrodes delining a spark gap, an induction coil including a condenser in combinationwith a make and break mechanism mounted directly and solel on one side of said frame, said induction coil being mounted on one end of said frame and in close proximity to one end of said oscillatable unit, said frame unit having magnetic pole shoes therein extending to its ends and its side edges, said oscillatable unit comprising magnetic shoes occupying its end zones and spaced permanent magnets mounted longitudinally in its central zone between but in abutting physical contact with said shoes, said frame unit having on its opposite sides nonmagnetic sheet material substantially co-extensive with the length of said oscillatable unit and also co-extensive with the width of said frame, in combination with a combined actuating means for both said oscillatable unit and said make and break mechanism, said make and break mechanism comprising a main lever and auxiliary lever arranged transversely thereof and in substantially a common plane, in combination with a fulcrum stud extending laterally from one of said sheets of said nonmagnetic sheet material and through said main lever intermediate the ends of said main lever, a second-stud extending from said oscillatable unit through a slotted portion of said main lever, said slotted portion having screw threaded upstanding ears carrying set screws having lock nuts thereon, said set screws engaging diametricall opposed portions of said second named stud whereby said main lever may be adjusted relatively to said oscillatable unit, said auxiliary lever being pivotally connected to one of said sheets of nonmagnetic material, said auxiliary lever being of the third class and carrying at one end thereof an electrical contact means remote from said pivotal connection and a cam stud extending laterally therefrom intermediate the ends thereof and toward said main lever. said main lever having an upstanding ear at one end thereof adjacent said auxiliary lever, said upstanding ear having a cam stud thereon and extending toward and in the path of the cam stud on said auxiliary lever whereby said auxiliary lever and its electrical contact means will be uperated when the electrical potential is at its peak point of accumulated energy. said make andbreak mechanism including an additional eelctrical contact means located in the path of said electrical contact means on said auxiliary lever, said additional electrical contact means being also connected to one of said nonmagnetic sheets and electrically insulated therefrom, said auxiliary lever being spring biased toward said additional electrical contact means, said condenser having one side thereof electrically connected by a conductor to said additional electrical contact means.

'4. In an electromagnetic ignition device for fuel gas, the sub-combination comprising a frame construction having two pairs of pole shoes of laminated magnetic material, said shoes being arranged with their pole shoe faces in opposed parallel spaced relation and secured in such relation by nonmagnetic plates engaging the major portions thereof, the shoe portions on one end of the frame comprising a minor portion of said frame and extending beyond the nonmagnetic plates and defining substantially parallel legs, the free ends of said legs being bifurcated to receive a magnetic core of an induction coil, one of said plates constituting a supporting means for a make and break mechanism, said supporting means having a stationar fulcrum stud extending laterally therefrom and located centrally in a central zone transversely of said means and in a longitudinal zone intermediate its longitudinal center line and one end thereof.

5. .An electromagnetic self-contained ignition device for fuel gas, said device being compact and free from fuel receptacles and wicks, said device comprising a frame unit, an oscillatable unit within said frame unit and pivotally supported therein, an electromagnetic circuit comprising electrodes defining a spark gap, an induction coil having primary and secondary windings arranged concentrically about a solid iron core, and a condenser in combination with a make and break mechanism mounted directly on one side of said frame, said induction coil being mounted on one end of said frame, said frame unit having two pairs of pole shoes arranged symmetrically therein and being equally spaced from the pivot axis of said oscillatable unit, said oscillatable unit comprising two pairs of magnetic shoes, one pair of each of said pairs of said shoes occupying one of the end zones of said oscillatable unit and a spaced pair of permanent magnets mounted longitudinally in its central zone between but in abutting contact with said shoes, in combination with a combined actuating means for both said oscillatable unit and said make and break mechanism, said induction coil being located in close proximity to one end of said oscillatable unit, said frame unit having on its opposite sides plates of nonmagnetic sheet material substantially co-extensive with the length of said oscillatable unit and also co-extensive with the width of said frame, one of said plates being the supporting means for said make and break mechanism whereby one or more oscillating movements of said actuating means will produce an ignition spark at the electrodes which will ignite gas issuing from a has burner and ambient about said electrodes.

6. The construction set forth in claim 5, in which said make and break mechanism comprises a pair of co-operating levers pivotally mounted directly on one side of said frame, said levers being arranged in transverse relation to each other in a common plane, each lever having a cam of conoidal form thereon arranged in a common plane and in normally spaced relation, one of said levers having an adjustable lost-motion connection with said oscillatable unit, whereby accurately synchronized adjustment of the make and break mechanism may be established to thereby break the electric current when said current is at its highest potential.

7. In an electromagnetic self-contained ignition device for fuel gas, said device constituting a compact construction comprising a spaced pair of frame members each composed of superposed plates of iron, the major portion of said frame member being secured together in parallel relation by a pair of non-magnetic frame plates, portions of said frame members extending beyond said nonmagnetic frame plates and constituting legs, in combination with a coil having an iron core supported in the legs aforesaid, said core having both a primary and secondary winding thereon, said secondary winding terminating in an electrode, in further combination with another electrode connected to one end or one of said legs, said electrodes being maintained permanently in spaced relation to define a spark gap, said device further comprising a manually oscillatable armature, a make and break mechanism and a condenser, said armature being pivotally mounted on said nomnagnetic frame plates between said frame members and also between said nonmagnetic frame plates, said frame plates being substantially co-extensive widthwise with the length of said armature and also co-extensive with the width of said frame, said armature having permanent magnets therein, said armature having nonmagnetic oscillator plates secured thereto and provided with apertured extensions remote from the coil whereby actuating means may be attached to said oscillator .plates, said make and break mechanism comprising an insulated contact member secured to one of said frame plates, said contact member being electrically connected to said primary winding and to said condenser, said condenser being connected to one of said frame plates, a pair of make and break levers pivotally connected to one frame plate and each having normally spaced conoidal cams thereon located in a common path,

one of said levers being spring biased toward the contact member, the other lever having a lost-motion adjustable connection on one of its ends of one endportion of one oscillator plate whereby the make and break mechanism may be adjusted to break at substantially peak potential of the electrical impulse produced by the device whereby gas issuing from a gas burner and ambient about said electrodes will be ignited by one or more oscillations of said armature.

- STANLEY ALEXANDER RUSSELL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 882,003 nun Mar. 17, 1903 1,162,521 Sherifi Nov. 30, 1915 1,412,933 Gordon Apr. 13, 1922 1,932,978 Louis Oct. 31, 1933 2,070,121 Gibson Feb. 9, 1937 2,120,002 Rorden June 7, 1938 2,217,048 Floss Oct. 8, 1940 2,427,826 Warsher Sept. 23, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 26,595 Great Britain 1903' 370,736 Italy Apr. 28, 1939 

